How To Use Sandalwood Natural Dyes
Dharma used a simple recipe to get these great colors with our natural dyes so you can have a reference for the colors they will give. Keep in mind there are many recipes and mordants that will yield a wide range of colors and shades from each dye material, so consult a natural dye book for more on this.
To get the best extraction, soak Sandalwood dyestuffs in alcohol as the dye compound is less soluble in plain water.
For the deepest colors, use a ratio of 1:1 dyestuff to fabric (2 oz dye to 2 oz fabric), but you can still get good colors using much less — we used about 3–4 tablespoons per yard of fabric. The dye bath can be reused to get lighter shades. Experimentation is the best way to determine the right amount of dye for your fabric type and desired color. We found silk and velvet absorbed colors the deepest. Some cottons will yield different and deeper shades using Tara Powder (a form of tannic acid) as a mordant with soda ash as an assist.
The Method
- Prewash your fabric with Dharma Dyers Detergent, rinse well.
- Mordant the fabric by simmering it with 1.75 tsp Alum per pound of fabric for 1 hour. Allow the fabric to cool in the solution, then squeeze out excess water. Rinse and discard the solution — all the alum will be absorbed by the fabric. You can dry the fabric if you want to stockpile pre-mordanted material, but use it within about a month as alum can degrade fabric over time.
- Prepare the dye bath by measuring and simmering your dyestuff for an hour, using enough water so your fabric can move freely. Allow to cool. Chop up larger roots (like madder) before simmering. Roots also benefit from an overnight soak for the darkest shades — this is best done before or at the same time as mordanting.
- Strain out any roots, shavings, or other dyestuff solids.
- Dye the fabric by adding the wet fabric to the dye bath and simmering for 1 hour. Allow to cool in the dye bath for maximum color absorption. Stir periodically and turn the fabric frequently while simmering for even dyeing. Save and reuse the dye bath for lighter shades.
- Final wash: Give the fabric a gentle wash with Dharma Dyers Detergent and rinse.
